Installation for compiling and collaborating statistical data



Feb. 25, 1936. 2,031,686

INSTALLATION FOR COMPILING AND COLLABORATING' STATISTICAL DATA C. BOREL Filed Dec. 11, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet l GQarZes Boreb,

Invenfor:

C. BOREL Feb. 25, 1936.

Filed Dec. 11, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fli 79b; Fki EL .TE m m; Q2 Q I rwenfirr:

altar-Zea Bar e6 No @Q b C. BOREL Feb 25, 1936.

INSTALLATION FOR COMPILING AND COLLABORATING STATISTICAL DATA Filed Dec. 11, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Iwwenfiar: Charles 302' el,

wwwm Mi 3 M 3 NM 33 fi us T r m k m 3 non N Feb. 25, 1936. c. BOREL INSTALLATION FOR GOMPILING-AND COLLABORATING STATISTICAL DATA Filed Dec. 11', l928 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Jhvenfor: mar-Zea Bar 66,

. case.

backward movement of the record .strip through:

Patented Feb. 25, 1936 UNITE D STATES" PATENT OFFICE INSTALLATION FOR COMPILING AND COL- LABORATING STATISTICAL DATA Charles Borel, Geneva, Switzerland 7 Claims.

The present invention relates to the so-called continuous strip statistical apparatus, and is designed to replace the somewhat inadequate type of apparatus using perforated cards. It-allows the recording of data of transactions regarding onespecificitem chronologically and interspersed between other data, and to coordinate such data referring to. this item subsequently and in any manner desired. It allows the extension of the recordingof'data relating to a specific item beyond the space. of an individual field of the continuous. record strip, and to obtain subsequently-the cooperation of. the different strip fields in any manner desired. It provides for the combined, simultaneous and reciprocal operation of any group'of data sources identified by the same characteristic and recorded consecutively or in any; other order. It allows the suspension of the cooperation of different fields in a givendata group by changing, delaying or completelysuspending the movement of therecord strip or by' changing the sequence of perforatedfieldsof. a record strip automatically'in accordance with de-' termined data or requirements of the particular It provides for the repeated forward and the apparatus toobtain complete reproduction: of the perforated data fields inpredeterminedsequence.

Applicants invention, which employs-some-of;

the apparatus disclosed in his prior Patent 1,863,097, granted June 14, 1932, eliminates on the basis of the above mentioned innovations many shortcomings of .the'present apparatus us.- ing perforated cards.

Therecord stripis subdivided into-individual.

fields oflequivalent widths each containing .a predetermined number of lines for the recording of indices and data.

As. is usual in the automatic preparation all.

the values are indicated by numerals, eachnumeral of which may be represented-by a perforae tion on the corresponding line of the perforation document, either by the perforation of la single point, of a line provided for ten or twelve points,

or by the combined perforation of a single or,

ferent data or statements in each line of four points; in addition to the representation of a datum-by'no perforation at all, and consequently' permits the material limitation of the size of the field of the card. It is for this latter reason Both kinds of perforation may be.

that in the example to be described and illustrated recourse is had to the method providing for lines of four points.

In the case that not only values but also signs or letters are to be transferred on the writ- 5 ing or recording sheet of the printing apparatus, which apparatus may be for instance of the type shown in my prior Patent 1,863,098; granted June 14, 1932, the code lines are'provided with five instead of four points, the perforating combination of which five points will permit 32 different signs.

In the drawings, Fig. l diagrammatically illustrates a portion of the installation for automatically recording data in predetermined order from 15 a strip on which data is recorded at random and this figure discloses among others, quite schematically, a reading mechanism of the type disclosed inmy Patent 1,863,097, granted June 14, 1932.

Fig. 2 discloses the remaining part of this apparatus for reproducing data in predetermined order, the part termed distributor.

Fig. 3 isa fragmentary showing of a strip such as is produced according to my invention, the 25 said strip being divided into a plurality of fields, in each field of which a plurality of data is shown as recorded in code.

Figs. 4-7 show the various types of control and record strips which are produced during the several phases of regrouping according to my apparatus, while at the right of Figs. 5-7, the various relay connections are schematically indicated.

Fig. 8 diagrammatically illustrates a comparer.

In the study of the given examples, it is to be kept in mind that the'first line of all the fields of a group serves for receiving the particular indices, which automatically release certainoperations, and in particular the motion of the perforated strip. The second and the next to last group fields of each strip receive exclusively the perforation of the index I (ii in Fig. 3), while in the first and the last group fields the index 2 (is in Fig. 3) is punched in advance. The index 3 (perforation indicated by is in Fig. 3), of the first line of a group field (corresponding to the space reserved for four perforations and, shown between the heavier black lines in Fig. 3), designates either the end or the beginning of a separated field series (as schematically indicated by brackets designated as 113:0, n3=2, etc. on Fig. 5). The perforation of the index 4 (2'4 in Fig; .3) nullifiesthe corresponding group field and prevents the use of its data. The contacts 2 and 4 of line 5 of the reader I (Fig. 1) were not connected to prevent unnecessary complication of the drawing and because they are not required in the particular application of the invention explained in this specification. The same consideration applies to the relays 2 and 4 of 39 (Fig. 1).

With the aid of a group of relays switched in the circuits of an installation, the appearance of the index 2 in the perforated strip under the reader will automatically cause the interruption of current to all the cooperating apparatus. If the index 4 appears, all transfers and operations will cease with the sole exception of the substitution of the cancelled group field by the next following. Together with the required switches this group of relays also serves for the starting and the stopping of the apparatus.

As aforesaid, the rational and most speedy cooperation of two or more perforated strips eventually calls for the prior rearranging in pred termined order of their group fields, which are indicated by any one of the common data such as number of the class, etc. The Figs. 1 to 7 illustrate the apparatus and procedure employed in regrouping a strip PE! in accordance with its data: n3 (hundreds), n2 (tens) and nl (units). The installation (Figs. 1 and 2) comprises, apart from some individual relays and switches which will be treated later on, the following devices:

1. It comprises a current dispatcher (Fig. 2) of conventional design consisting of a number of cams rotating on the driving shaft of the installation, which cams close switches and thereby close the current between the two poles of the supply current over the respective circuits for a shorter or longer period for each rotation of the driving shaft (for each phase and corresponding to the time during which a strip field remains in the reader). If, for instance, each phase is divided into fifteen equal parts (or any other number in excess of the 12 parts actually required in operations, to provide for flexibility) the framed (see Fig. 1, for instance) number of the figures designate the moment and the duration of the closing of the current and indicate the sign of the connected pole. Thus, for instance, the connection of a circuit, by the current dispatcher, to the pole, from the seventh fifteenth of a phase 'till the sixth fifteenth of the next phase (1. e.

the breaking of the circuit between the sixth and seventh fifteenth of every phase) has been conventionally indicated by the framed digits +7 :6. This method of designation is employed to facilitate easy writing and of course has no arithmetical sense. If the current dispatcher connects a circuit to the negative pole between the sixth and eight fifteenth of every phase, this is indicated in front of the corresponding terminal, as 6=8 (framed) (see Fig. 1).

2. It also comprises the not illustrated but above mentiond group of relays and switches, for starting and stopping the installation (see the third paragraph before this one).

3. Still further, it comprises a reading apparatus I (Fig. 1) of this patent and according to my said United States Patent 1,863,097, through which apparatus the perforated strip the data of which are to be rearranged in predetermined order is passed. The electromagnet 2 (Fig. 1)

releases the advance and the electromagnet 3 releases the return motion of the perforated strip. This back and forth movement of the strip can be accomplished by various methods as, for instance, by a gear shift of conventional design, controlled automatically or by hand, applied to the strip advancing mechanism shown in Figure 12 of U. S. Patent 1,863,097 for the reading apparatus. By reversal of the switch 4 the electromagnets are made to change their function when the perforated strip is introduced into the reading apparatus by its right end instead of by the left end. The number 5 designates a set of four contacts for reading the perforations of the index lines while at 6 is shown the corresponding device for the line of the n3 (hundreds), at i the line of the n2 (tens), at 8 the line of the nl (units), while at 0 is designated the device for the line for all the remaining sets of four contacts of the group fiield. The value of the individual points of the sets of four contacts is shown by the inserted number.

4. Said installation also includes a perforating apparatus l 0 (Fig. 1) such as shown by Figures 7 to 11 inclusive in my said United States Patent 1,863,097, for perforating the new strip, the group fields of which have to be reproduced in predetermined order according to the data n3, n2, or nl. The electromagnets II and I2 as well as the switch I3 in this device have the same functions as have the devices 2, 3, and 4 in the reading apparatus I. The groups of four electromagnets M to l8 for releasing the perforation of their corresponding lines correspond always to the sets of four contacts 5 to 9 of the reading apparatus.

5. In my installation there is provided what might be designated a strip movement control preferably comprising a group [9 (Fig. 1) of five relays of conventional design: Depending on the circumstances, relay 20 will operate the advance of the strip in the reading apparatus I while relay 2'! occasions the return motion of the perforated strip. Relay 34 will also operate its ad- Vance but will cut out all operations which normally take place simultaneously when the strip is advanced. The relays. 24 and 3! serve for determining the sequence in the excitation of the three first designated relays.

6. Still further, my invention comprises a group 39 of four relays (Fig. 1), which depend from the index contacts 5 (except for omissions indicated previously) and which operate on the transmission circuits of other parts or portions of the installation.

7. In my invention there are two selectors of four contacts each 5!] and 54 (Fig. 1), and somewhat as suggested in Figures 5 and 6 of my prior United States Patent 1,863,097, with four relays, which, according to the position of the switch 58, (to the right of the reader) are energized by the data of the line '6 (n3), 1 (n2), or 8 (ml) of the reader and which in accordance with the momentary data of the line, connect the circuit sections 53 and 5! of the selectors 50 and 54 respectively with one of the circuit sections 59 and 60 of the distributor 6| (Fig. 2)

8. From the selector, which also acts as a decoder, the current goes to a distributor 6! (Fig. 2) which comprises a group of thirteen pairs of relays of conventional design which are adapted to transfer the perforations of a group field from the control strip onto a new or record strip if the data 12 of this field corresponds to the value for which the distributor is set at the moment.

9. An individual relay 12 (Fig. 1) is also provided depending upon the distributor 6| and assuring the operation of the first ones on the other devices.

acetone 10;:aAn1lndividual: relay .BBQ-cQOpera/tesswin the: perforation of the new 11a 'A 'switchl 82,: 835 is; made use of at the: end of .thetransmission;

' 'I'he rearranging :irr. predetermined orderr 'is eifected by steps, the original penforatedzrstrip (inthereading apparatus I which? is shown in Fig'; 3* and; schematicallyaPIPin': Fig. 4 being: te placedi'by a. new strip: P. I (initheiperforatingrapparatu's), which is regroupedi in 'numerical'i order accordingtonS on'hundreds' (Fitg; 5):, whereupon a new? stripxPZ: i (Fig; 6 regroupeds'in; numerical order: according? to :n2 or tensa is 1 substituted (in the perforating apparatus-l for the stripiP I (in: thezreadingr apparatus) which: strip?! 1 is finally replaced rby the last' definitely 'an'dripertectly ire-' grouped strip P3 (Fig; 17) I The operationssinztherflrststepare fundamentallyas follows:

The original strip-PD" (Fig: 3) passes thro'ugh thereading5 apparatus; I alternately in 'difierent directions. During the first passage'thevalues ofsn3r will: permanently energize: the corresponding relays 62* in the-distributor 161" (Fig; Zlwhere- V I by-fu'rther and useless; passages will be avoided in those cases where no values exist to be record-' ed; therebyeconomizingiontimer. This willbe explained later.

The first passage' or travel of the strip- P through the reading apparatus I commences on therfirstvgroup-field with index I-,;whereby-' the switches -58assume theposition shown at the right ofFig.-;= Ihe'perforation'of theindexi'closes the first contacta5 (-Fig;. i 1-) and the circuit +1=10 which; is establishedwby the cam of theizcurrent dispatcher from i the 1/ through: the. 10/15 of? each phase" of: the-cam shaft '(Figs 2') 5; 39 to:

the pole or the current source,-.:whereby: the

relay 3abecomes \1 energized; By means: of? the circuit +4=5 (which is established: in asl'mzanneri as" explainedabove in connection with: 1.: I0?) 69;86--(Fig;=2 86, relay:coil=12-, .to-the' pole (Fig. l): the relay 12-:wi11:becomer'energizediand will: remain soy dueto its holding: circuit-+3=2,i

2 I, ZII-totherpoleand !-1=1:2, '48,-2 Ig.2-ll;rto*the pole; since their interruptions in: the: cams: of:

the current: dispatcher do: not: coincide: and .l since the coil has arrivedatits deenergi'zed'po'sition and again-i closesthe contact 482 prior to the interruption of the secondr-holding's"circuitrbyithe" cam: of. the current dispatcher at: the: moment I 2.

to the pole energizes thefirst coil I I of :the perforating apparatus; therebycausing the per-- foration of the index I in the first groupzfieldf of PI.

The-coil will thus remain energized:during' all the-phases which correspondto all the group fieldsoi the stripduring the entire first traveliof the strip Pllacrossthe reading apparatus; The energization'. ofthe coil 24'will: be repeated in each phase-by means of the circuit +'7=8, 23; 14 to the pole. Theadvance-of strip Pll' for the width of a field will also be repeatedlowingto'the energization of the electromagnet 2- by means of the circuit +6=7, 22, 4, 2, to the pole. Whenthe subsequent group fields pass; the following performances will takeplace: In the same manner as before the coil 12 will in each phase,

i. e. for each group field, be energized between the moments l of the momentaryand 2 of the following phase,'.or +422. If, forlinstanceethe; data nil-sot axfield'zzis thevahie "I expressedlbyrthe codeiperforations3 and 4 ofsli'ne 6;:then theethird: and =the: uurth:coil of l thergroup' 51' of selector? 50 will become energized by: means of. the circuits +1'=10,.tliird and fourth. contact of? group lineB; 58]Iithi1dxfi1ld-ff0l11'th coil of 5I-, to thepole. 'IhisLbeing so; the working circuit +7=8-; 48;.'I9, Ste-connectionll ofi59 (Figssl and'2) ,rth'e eighth relayzlit of the distributorfil, to the pole; will beclosed. R'elayBZ will remain permanentlyzenergizedbecause of its two holding circuits. the one +7 =6; 63', which has-:been'closed' by the-:cor responding coil. 6-2 the'coili62'itself, to the pole; and thei other +1=-10; 68, 64, relay 625 tozthe pole: The fact that the interruption of these two: circuits in thescurrentl conveyor do not'take place simultaneously explains this fact. After:

the-first travel of strip P9, the relays 62 of thepreviously, in such end position of the control strip. The circuit +3'==4, 2' 88' (Figs.'-'1 and1 2')-,. 650i the first relay 62-whichsis energized at this time; to the corresponding-coil 66 ,:tothe pole; thus energizes the relay 66. Owingtothe ener gizationof'the first relay162 the armature 65will be disconnected from the lower contact; .thus'ibre'aking'ithe' circuit and :preventing the energizationof all: the" other? relays 66:1. The armature contact' lili of'the energized relay Iiii' will interrupt the: second holding circuit of.=' the corresponding coil: 62"," (A-1:10;SIhxBlreIamG-Zgtothe pole) therebycuttingeout.suchcoilz- Owing to thezenergizmtionrof the-coil 66; thecircuitoficoil relaycoilH" ruptecl in the group of contacts 6.95 so that said coil can no-longerbecome energized. The circuit +5='6, 43; working "contact 26? (relay Zi b'eing energized); restcontact of: 153 21, to th'e' pole:-

energizes the' coilr2 TyWhlChEll'lanalogyto the coil" 20;: remainszeenergized during the entire subset quent: travel. of strip: P0 through the" reading; apparatus and-willinieachiphaseienergize: the coil 31- asvwell as the electromagnet 3, 'therebym'oving the strip Pll backwards teach timeforthe width offithe fieldw The closing; of the circuit +6 7,

of-=- therstripP I the "apparatus: "of the perforation I3-;: II,. to" the.--- pole will 'energize' theelectro ma'gnet -II and thereby designates theadvance- The index lineial'soi containsxtheperforations I and '3;

Duringther'entire travel: of 'thestrip P0 the coil 12 carries: llOi'CllI'IEl'l't and the perforations and ethe-rsubstitution' of the: first field of P I of" those: fields: of? strip Psi-will be transferred onto strip :19 I; which'ibear datan3 :corresponding to the value of the energized relay 66 (Fig. 2). In zorderrto understand this fact, it is to be noted that the-data n3 of groupt will in each-phasebe transferred to' the .co'ils"5'5 The working cirin-accordancewith the data n3, over one of the forkedconnec'tionsGIl (Figs. 1 and 2) andonly thatbranch will: become operative which leads from connection: 60" over switches 'I I' 'over the armature contact III of the energized relay 66 to point 8'! (Figs. 1 and 2) and from there over contacts 4'! and I6 and coil to the pole, thereby energizing the coil 86. This same circuit will by its extension, and starting from contacts I8, pass all the coils I5, I6, II, I8 and the contacts 6, I, 8, 9, +1=10 and cause the energizing of these electromagnets and the transfer from control strip PI) to record strip PI of the perforations of the strip field. Only if the data 113 agree with the value of the energized relay 66 (Fig. 2) will the circuit +7=8, 8I, I3, II, to the pole cause the advance of the new field perforated in the perforating apparatus I0 (Fig. 1).

After the second passage or travel the coil I2 (Fig. 1) will not become energized if the index I appears in the last field of P6. The coil 21 will become deenergized while the coil 26 will again become permanently energized, so that from this moment the perforated strip PI) will be made to advance during its third travel. A closing of the circuit over +3=4, 42, 88 (Figs. 1 and 2) and will permanently energize the next coil 66 corresponding to the energized coil 62, while the prior coil 66 will come to rest owing to the simultaneous interruption of its double auxiliary circuits +3=2, 6! (Fig. 2) and +1=12, 48, 89, (Figs. 1 and 2), 61. The index 3 will then be perforated in the strip PI and said index field will be replaced by the following one.

Reviewing the operation as outlined in the foregoing it may be stated that the process operates as follows:

During the first passage of the strip PI) through the reading apparatus, the distributor 6| registers (by energizing the corresponding relay 62) the numbers 113 of the different existing hundreds, and does this by means of a selector 5!). At the end of the first passage, all the really existing numbers of n3, and these only, are registered by the distributor 6|. Thereafter the to and fro travel of the strip P0 through the reading apparatus and between its limit positions follows, without intervention of the distributor 6I, and during which travel the fields of strip P0 are reproduced on strip PI by the punching apparatus. This is done in such manner that the fields of the same number 113 are gathered and form a group, and so that the succession of said groups corresponds to the increasing numbers of 113, i. e. are regrouped corresponding to 113.

This regrouped reproduction of the fields is produced in the following manner:

The second or reverse direction travel of the strip through the reader is controlled by the relay 66 (now energized), corresponding to the smallest digit of the hundreds n3 met with during the first passage of strip PI) through the reader so that, during this passage, and through the intervention of the selector 54, the fields bearing the digit corresponding to the energized relay 66 are alone reproduced on record strip PI by the punching apparatus. When the number 123, of the field momentarily read in the reading apparatus is the same number to which the particular and momentarily energized relay 66 corresponds (and there is only one relay 66 energized'at a time, as previously explained), the commoncircuit, connecting all the magnets I5, I6, II, I8 of the punching apparatus with the pole (normally broken by the contacts 51 Fig. 1 and III Fig. 2) is closed on the terminal 6=8 (framed). As a consequence the field in question is reproduced on PI, in consequence of the connections between the sets of contacts 6, I, 8, 9

and the corresponding sets of punching electromagnets I5, I6, II, I8 Fig. 1.

At the end of the second passage of strip P0, through the reader, all the fields with the smallest digit n3 of the hundreds are reproduced in succession on the strip PI.

During the next passage of strip P0, that one of relays 66 corresponding to the next higher (and actually existing) digit 113 of the hundreds is energized. As has just been explained, only those fields whose n3 (hundreds) corresponds to the same digit as the momentarily energized relay 66, are reproduced on PI. During the following passages, the same operations are repeated for the different hundreds, until all the fields of strip P0 are reproduced in strip PI (always fed in the same direction as the control strip) regrouped according to the hundreds.

In the intermediate position of the control strip Pllthe coils 20 and 21 change their functions (Fig. 1) and the control of the transferred fields passes from one coil 66 to the next one. Furthermore, the individual series of hundreds which have been grouped on strip PI according to 113 will automatically be separated by fields with the index 3.

After all the subsequently energized coils 66 (Fig. 2) have in this manner filled their functions and after the transfers of all the fields of control strip P6 onto record strip PI have been regrouped, the coil I2 will again be energized in one of its limit positions, so that the coil 20 again operates, and provides for the advance of the strip P9. The index I will now be perforated,

the same as in the initial position, in the last field of record strip PI. In the course of the further advance of the strip P0, its final index 2 will be reached, whereupon, as already stated, the cutting out of the installation and the release of a signal will be effected.

If the cutting out of the last energized coil 66 (Fig. 2) takes place at a limit position such that a backward travel on the strip P0 in the reading apparatus has occurred, the energization of the coil 34 will follow the deenergization of coil 21, since in this position the coil 3| is energized instead of coil 24 (Fig. 1). The coil 34 will now operate, the same as had the coil 20, and the forward advance of strip P0 (Fig. 1) takes place, whereby the opening of the armature contact 31 excludes any transmission. Therefore the strip P0 will, without any operation at all, reach its terminal position in which the above related performances take place.

In this stage of operation the strip P0 will be replaced in the reading apparatus I by the record strip PI, While in the perforating apparatus ID a new record strip P2 is substituted for the former strip PI.

In the transfer of the data from strip PI onto record strip P2 and in regrouping the fields connected with this transfer in accordance with the data 112 (tens) and Within the field series already in accordance with the data n3 (hundreds), the operations are substantially the same as those employed in the first transfer and sorting.

As will be seen from Fig. 6 the sole difference consists in the fact that the index 3 also takes the function of the initial and of the end index I, so that the to and fro travel of the strip PI takes place over the first series of hundreds, and thereafter each one of the next following series of hundreds. If, for instance, seven series of 113 appear, then the performances of the first transfer are automatically repeated seven times, each time-upon anothersection of .the strip P-l, .now

acting as a control strip, to be transferred.

Since. the last entirely regroupedstrip must begin on its left sidewith the smallest number andsince the intermediate strips PI and P2 are introduced in the left side of the reading apparatus, the switches 4, I3, .58, H and. 82,83 musttake the positions shown in Figs. .5, {Land 7 during the individual transmissions.

.1011 the strip P2 obtained in this .manner,.the

fields which are regrouped according to 123 (hun- .dreds) aresubdivided in series by an index field having the index 3, which various series in .turn, are divided in subdivision whicharesortedaccording to n2 (tens) and .are separated :by .an.-in.- ,dex afield with index 3. The third and last transmission.(Fig. 7) takes place exactly in thesame manner, but successively for each one .of these subsections. In the last step or. stage, however, the switch 82, 83 will be reversed, as shown at the'right of Fig. 7, and therefore the perforation of the index:3 and the corresponding intermediatefields will'be suppressed in the finalstrip P3, as has already been stated in the foregoing.

'The regrouping of astrip, for instance by months, takes-place in the same manner, .as well .asthesorting by any data whatever of astrip which has already been regrouped vaccordingto other data; in this latter case, the new regrouping takes place within the series already regrouped. It isto .be noted that in the new strip which .must be regrouped, the separating fields with the intermediary index 3 are missing between the series which are already regrouped according .to the first data. The function of the separating signs is taken over by the comparing devices which will be described hereinafter and which whenever new data appear, that is tosay when the end of a series is reached and a new series has begun, will terminate the desired per formances in consequence of the change of .the first datum taking place in these positions.

From the description of the reading and perforating apparatus, as contained in my said Patent 1,863,097, the counters, the repeatersand the printing apparatus, the latter contained in my said Patent 1,863,098, it will be seen that an installation comprising these apparatuses ,and providedwith a couple of the above mentioned selectors andthe usual relays, will after the performance ,ofsthe required reversals and after the necessary circuit connections have been established, permit each data group to automatically repeat a series composed at will of simultaneous operations. It is further seen, that for any choice of these operations, a predetermined number of automatic repetitions, which depend solely on particular data appearing in thecourse of the working operation, can take place, and further, that it is possible to cancel these Operaztions partially automatically, ,or either to replace them, by others, complete them, or change their sequence during the performance of the operations, in accordance with'particular data which occur. The individual operations of suchseries comprise, among others, the advance of the perforated strip in either direction, the advance of the printing sheet for a smaller or a greater line distance the regular entry or transfer of data or :oialresu the sel c of such entries or transfers,the return to zero of a counter, etc. These operations ;may comprise at will additions and subtractions, with the helpof a repeater, which mayalso comprise multiplications. and involution. .RroYisiQn .lnayibe made for permitting anyr determined dataor 'difierent data which .occur simultaneously to have. an influence both on each other and on the performance of theoperations.

Inthe course of statistical work. it becomes necessary at times either to perform or to suspend operations in accordance with the relative value of two data which. may appear either simultaneously or at diiierent times, and not in accordance with occurrence or l'lOI'lrOCCHI'I'BHCG of specific data, or their. absolute value.

'It occurs, for instance, that certain operations are to take place or are to be suppressed ac- .cording to. whetherdatum .a is greater, is equal to, or is smaller than the simultaneously occurring data b, as the case may be, or than the data b of the immediately preceding. phase. The

grouping of relays (Fig. 8), which is called a comparing device, serves for the determination and for the comparison of. such relations between the data.

Let it be assumed thatab, ab, a"b (Fig. 8) designate the one set of data, and cd, vc'd', cd" designate the other .data in the fields which follow one another, .and that each of the .two data requires, for instance, two lines of four contacts. In this casethe distributor will consist of .two groups H0 and ll I, each group comprising a group of coils.445, .449 and .455; 3.45, 349 and 355; 245,249 and 255;.145, 1.49 and I55 shown in Fig. 8. Every group of three relays arranged one on top of the other and consisting of one re- .lay of each of the three groups .445, 449 and 455;

345, 349 and .355, etc., constitutes a comparer element, the value of which is indicated by the encircled number I to 4. It is to be remembered, that the datum I for intsance, is obtained according to code by the perforation of the elements corresponding to the-encircled points 3 and 4 and is effected by the energization .of '-the corresponding relays of the group .0, should the datum be an M value. Theiramed numbers of Fig.8 depict the'moment and the duration (expressed in fifteenths of a phase) of closings of the circuit which will be caused in the corresponding circuits through the intermediary of a current dispatcher of conventional design and previously explained for Figures 1 and 2.

Data occurring simultaneously in the same'field of the strip or onthe field of .diiferent strips are to be compared.

The datum ab appearing in the reader, which is explained in my patent 1,863,097 and schematically shown in the :upper left hand corner of Fig. 1 causes the energization of the upper coils 445, 345, 245v and 1.45 of group H0 and 445',-.345', 245' and 145' of group III through the circuit positive pole, 1:2, the reader contacts (60f Fig. 1 for a. .and 1 for .b' for instance) the four line .circuit H2 or 1| l2 to the upper coils, to the negative pole. The coilscorresponding to the perforations underthe reader are energized. The energization will be prolonged until the moment 12 by :means of the auxiliary circuitof the terminals H6 and H6. In the same manner the datum c'd causes the energization of the corresponding intermediate .coils 449, 349, etc., of the groups H0 and 1| LI. If in the element :4 of group i [ll (thatis :to say'thehighest number position) the coil 445 is energized but the coil 449 is at rest thenit is evident that :thedatum a'b' is greater thanc'd' and the working current of terminal ll8lpasses over 44'! upper contact, 452 lower contact; 5| 3| and vl 3| directly'without passage through any of the subsequent .groups of H B and III, of thelcomparer.

If coil 445 is at rest while c'oil 449 is energized it is evident that the datum a'b set up in group 445, 345, etc. is smaller than datum cd, set upin group 449, 349, etc., and the working current this time passes from terminal I I8 over lower contact 441, upper contact 45I, I29 and I29, also without passing through the subsequent groups of III) and III. If finally the coils 445 and 449 are either both energized or both at rest, there exists equality in this code element and the result depends upon the following elements of the group. If both are energized, for instance, the working current passes from terminal I I8 over upper contact 441, upper contact 452 to contact 341 where the process is repeated in the same manner. Equality of all elements exists if .ab=cd, in which the working current passes from terminal IIB through all the elements of H9, I24, H8, through the elements of III and finally through terminal I24.

If, for example, 0.:7, b l, c'=7 and d=2 the data to be compared are 14 and 12. The current passing through the reader will energize the coils 445 and 345 in group III] for thevalue '1, and the coil 445' for the value 4. In the same manner 12 in the reader will energize coils 449 and 349 in group H9 and 249 in group II I. The working current follows the following circuit:

Terminal II8, upper contact 441, upper contact 452, upper contact 341 and 352, lower contacts 241, 25I, I41 and II, I24, H3, upper contact 441, lower contact 452' and terminal I3 I which indicates that 0/1) is larger than c'd'.

If now, datum 0/1) is to be compared. with the other datum ad which had appeared in the preceding phase, the first datum will as in the previous case, be transmit-ted into relays 445, 345, etc. During the preceding phase the datum ad has been transmitted to relays 449, 349, etc. and at the end of said phase, was transmitted from the relays 449, 349, etc. by the closing of the circuit of terminal I25 to the lower group of relays 455, 355, etc. This circuit passes from terminal I25 under all the relays 449, 349, etc. and energizes the relays 455, 355, etc. corresponding to the energized relays of the middle line 449, 349, etc. If 449, for instance, is energized the current passes from terminal I 25 over 453, relay 455, to the negative pole. The relay 455 remains energized during the rest of the preceding and the present phase through its auxiliary circuit 11:10, I33, 456, 455, to the negative pole. In the momentary or present phase the datum of relays 445, 345,

etc. will be compared with that of the relays 455,

355, etc. in the same manner as previously described, but making use of the working current of terminal I29, from where the current passes for the example comparison of 14 and 12 over upper contacts 448, 460, 348 and 369, lower contacts 248, 259, I48 and I59, I36, I29, upper contact 448, lower contact 480' and terminal I43.

If, finally, the momentary datum c'd is to be compared with the datum ad of the same data group but in the preceding phase, the relays 449, 349, etc. of the middle line and the relays 455, 355, etc. of the lower line and the working current over terminal I21 will be used, the other relations remaining the same as in the preceding case.

If a group of relays 445, 345, etc. and 449, 349, etc. of Fig. 8 is provided with a plurality of armature contacts 441, 45I, 452, 341, 35I, 352, etc. It will constitute a multiple comparison device with the help of which divisions etc. may be executed in the shortest possible time.

The reproduction in'predetermined order is made speedierand, in fact, for the firsttime practical, by limiting the back and forth movecase the digit 723, to which the strip PI passing through the reader I (Fig. 1) was previously grouped, is transmitted in code by means of a four-wire lead, connected to the four wires which lead from the switches 58 to the right (not shown), to the four-pole jacks H2 and I22 (Fig. 8). The current entering terminal II2 energizes the relays 445, 345, 245, I45, and the current entering through terminal I22 energizes relays 449, 349, 249, I49 in accordance with the classification digit perforation in the reader at the moment. The current +11=12 will, towards the end of the phase energize the relays 455, 355, 255 and I55 corresponding to the energized relays 449, 349, 249 and I49, and the holding circuit +11=10 will keep them energized for the succeeding phase. In this succeeding phase the next field will enter the reader and its index perforation will energize the first two sets of relays (445, 345, etc. and 449, 349, etc.) according to its classification'digit. The comparison of the relay group 445,345, 245 and I45 and the groups 455,355,255,

and I55 now takes place through the second circuit +2=3 from the top, in the manner explained previously. As long as the two succeeding classification digits are equal in value, the strip movement will be allowed to continue inthe same direction and the perforation is taking place. A difference in the value of the two succeeding classification digits will cause the strip movement to reverse its direction and will prevent perforating temporarily. This is accomplished by connecting the two exit terminals MI and I43 (Fig. 8) to the lead from point I (Fig. 1) of line 5 of reader I, thus energizing relay 39 which will cause the reversal of the direction of the strip movement and prevent perforation in lines I5, I6, I1

and I8, in the manner described previously (last paragraph page 15 and page 16). This connection between the regrouping apparatus and the comparer was not illustrated, as it is only a question of connecting the six wires. In this manner the comparer takes over the function of the special index perforations.

It is of course obvious that once the broad features of my invention are disclosed, numerous modifications and adaptations thereof will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is contemplated that the invention be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a combined regrouping and reproducing mechanism, where data in a strip comprised of fields is passed under a reading means and is selected according to particular classification digits arranged one on each field and then reproduced, a distributor for determining the order of reproduction, the said distributor comprising a plurality of relays adapted to be energized according to the value of the said classification digits of the several fields, the energized relays being retained over a period of time in their energized position, said group of distributors also comprising a second group of relays each relay of which corresponds to a relay of the first group, that relay of the second group corresponding to the first energized relay of the first group being energized upon repassage of the strip through the reading means, whereby when the digit corresponding to the energized relay of the second group appears in the reading means, a working circuit is closed by the said relay of the second group and causes the direct reproduction of at least part of the data of the field under the reading means.

2. In a combined regrouping and reproducing mechanism, where data in a strip comprised of fields is passed under a reading means and is selected according to particular classification digits arranged one on each field and then reproduced, a distributor for determining the order of reproduction, the said distributor comprising a plurality of relays adapted to be energized according to the value of the said classification digits of the several fields, the energized relays being retained over a period of time in their energized position, a second group of relays each relay of which corresponds to a relay of the first group, that relay of the second group corresponding to the first energized relay of the first group being energized upon repassage of the strip through the reading means, whereby when the digit corresponding to the energized relay of the second group appears in the reading means, a working circuit is closed by the said relay of the second group and causes the direct reproduction of at least part of the data of the field under the reading means, energization of a relay of the second group causing the deenergization of the corresponding relay of the first group.

3. A combined regro-uping and reproducing mechanism for reading data from strips comprised of a series of perforated fields, each having classification digits thereon, comprising means for reading the perforations, selecting means connected with and controlled by said reading means for selecting certain classes of data from the record, means under the control of both the said reading means and said selecting means for reproducing in fields at least part of the selected classes of data on a second strip, and means under the control of both said reading means and said selecting means for inserting on the second strip an index mark on a special field at the end of each group of fields comprising the same classification digit according to which the regrouping has been carried out, which index mark denotes the end of the movement of the strip in one direction.

4. A combined regrouping and reproducing mechanism for reading data from strips comprised of a series of perforated fields, each having classification digits thereon, comprising means for reading the perforations, selecting means connected with and controlled by said reading means for selecting certain classes of data from the record, means under the control of both the said reading means and said selecting means for reproducing in fields at least part of the selected classes of data on a second strip, means under the control of both said reading means and said selecting means for inserting on the second strip an index mark on a special field at the end of each group of fields comprising the same classification digit according to which the regrouping has been carried out, which index mark denotes the end of the movement of the strip in one direction, and means operable at will for deenergizing said index-inserting means, to discontinue provision of index marks on the record strips.

5. A combined regrouping and reproducing mechanism for reading data from strips comprised of a series of perforated fields, each having classification digits thereon, comprising means for reading the perforations, selecting means connected with and controlled by said reading means for selecting certain classes of data from the record, means under the control of both the said reading means and the said selecting means for reproducing in fields at least part of the selected classes of data on a second strip, means for comparing classification digits on two succeeding strip fields, and means, depending from said comparing means, which will cause the reversing of the direction of the strip movement in the reader and the temporary suspension of any perforation in the event that the classification digits of two succeeding strip fields and not of equal value.

6. A combined sorting and reproducing mechanism, comprising means for receiving and reading perforated records containing data in code thereon, a distributor for controlling and causing the automatic reproduction in predetermined order in accordance with the arbitrarily I selected classification digit of at least part of the perforated record in the reading means, and means controlled by the said distributor for reproducing directly the data in the reading means.

'7. A combined sorting and reproducing mechanism, comprising means for reading the fields of a perforated strip containing data thereon in code, part of said data being arbitrarily selected as classification data, the succeeding fields of the said strip being out of order in regard to the classification data, feeding means for causing the displacement of the strip field by field in either direction, means for receiving and perforating a copy strip, connecting means between the reading means and the perforating means, perforating means for causing the reproduction on a field of the copy strip of at least part of the data in the field under the reading means, and a distributor for controlling the feeding means and for causing the automatic regrouping and reproduction on the copy strip in predetermined order in accordance with the classification data of at least part of the data on the strip field under the reading means.

CHARLES BOREL. 

